November 2008

Following the incredible success of their last collection, Payless has once again partnered with Abaete (one of my absolute favorite designers) for a new Holiday/Resort collection. The shoes sold out so quickly last time that I wasn’t actually able to buy a pair, but this time I’ve set a reminder in my Blackberry calendar so I won’t miss out! This adorable wedge is one of my favorite styles from the Abaete selection, and until I can afford the real thing– this will do just fine!

Lela Rose and Patricia Field will also contribute to the Holiday/Resort collection which will retail from $34-55. Click here to see the entire lookbook

I feel so honored…I’m a huge fan of The Mo & Minikille Dressing and more than anything, I’m a huge fan of the incredibly talented Monica Mejia who made this drawing!!!

For those of you that know me personally, it’s uncanny isn’t it??

Check out her fabulously illustrated fashion choices here!

Ever since my first trip to London, I’ve always been a huge fan of the high-street fashions and although you can now shop online in the US, it’s just not the same experience as actually being in a Top Shop store and getting to try everything on.  Not to mention, some of the clothing is a little “experimental” and it’s best that you go with an honest shopping buddy.

Anyway, they just had their press day where they showcased what’s in store for the upcoming Spring/Summer season and I must say there’s some incredible pieces in the collection.  They’ve also collaborated with some amazing designers, like Preen and Emma Cook who have “shut it down” with fantastic shoe offerings-straight off their runways- like these…

While the Kate Moss collection sells out faster than you can actually buy it, most of these items won’t get that same kind of attention so here’s hoping that…

A: the NYC Top Shop finally opens;

B: this stuff actually goes into production;

C: and that we are lucky enough to get these items in the US

Rumor has it that the store will open in March…and although we were all disappointed when it didn’t open as planned in October, a March debut will be perfect timing for all of these beatuful Spring pieces!  I’m all about instant gratification and if I could buy these shoes right now, I’d have to lock them up to keep myself from wearing them all winter! There’s a lot more to see and you can check out the rest of the collection at Style Bubble.

the Prada Special Stones collection.  This new collection of handbags is one of their lower priced initiatives, in addition to their recently launched costume jewelry line.

While Prada customers might find a bag for $1000 a total steal, I surely do not…and my readers don’t either.  So here’s a great way to take a plain old clutch you might have lying around to the next level…add lots and lots of rhinestones!!!

You can easily pick up a bag of “flat back” stones at your local craft store.  Attach them by using a hot glue gun to your chosen handbag/clutch.  I personally like the Swarovski ones for their vibrant sparkle, but you can use just about any type of stone.

Here’s my best attempt at a “Frada (faux Prada) DIY Clutch”:

I’m not sure if it’s all the talk about the holidays, but I’m totally feeling satin right now.  Since this fabric is impossibly difficult to clean and I always manage to spill something on myself when I’m wearing it, it works a lot better when it’s used for brighly colored accessories.  You can easily update a simple black dress with anyone of these great items and since they’re all less than $42.00 don’t worry about making a mess!

Style Links (clockwise): Purple Pumps $26.80, Bracelet $36.00, Clutch $42.00, Skinny Belt $14.99, Bow Pumps $12.50, Grey Clutch $16.00, Knot Belt $24.00

Oh Rachel…how I’ve missed your spending spontaneity, your sophisticated verbiage and your unforgettable assistants!  Who do I need to call at Bravo to get the show back on the air…ASAP?!?!

In the meantime, I’ll have to get my Zoe fix (and I’m not talking about the Mexican diet pills she was dealing!) by checking out your fashion prowess through photos.

Here she is at the opening of the Alberta Ferretti store in LA and I love how she was able to pull off a maxi-dress in the Winter…now I know this is LA and they don’t actually have seasons, but with the right accessories, all of us in cold-weather climates can surely pull off this look!  And for all of you PETA enthusiasts, you could also sub in a fitted faux-leather jacket instead of the fur shrug.

Style Links: Maxi Dress $27.90, Faux Fur Shrug $32.80, Bracelet 1 $6.80 & 2 $5.80, Shoes $27.80, Necklace $5.80, Croc Clutch $16.80, Ring $2.80, Nail Polish $4.25

Twelve by Twelve, Warrior Dress $39.00

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of working with Danieda Polanco on a Budget Fashion segment for her show, Primer Impacto.  For those of you non-Spanish speakers, Primer Impacto is the equivalent of the NBC Nightly News and is one of the highest rated shows on Univison.

Since we were discussing chic on the cheap, we headed to my Mecca, Forever 21 to find the best budget buys!  Yesterday was like a total dream come true…I got to work with one of the senior merchandisers (they’re the incredibly talented people who dress the mannequins)  and they even opened the store early for me to shop privately…I totally felt like J.LO!!!  Just imagine… shopping at Forever 21 before the crowds have turned the store upside down…a perfectly merchandised store with not one shirt out of place…and being the first to preview 250 boxes of brand new, never before seen merchandise!  I truly had my pick of the litter and felt like a kid in candy store!

For the show, I was asked to select 5 must-have items under $50 and then show viewers how to mix and match them to get the most out of their wardrobe.  Here’s just one of the many outfits I put together for the show centered around this gorgeous satin dress:

Style Links: Shoes $12.50, Satin Dress $39.00, Cardigan $36.00, Gold Cuff $5.80, Beaded Clutch $24.80

I love me some YSL, but I’m not so sure about this one…

if you look closely at the model’s nails you can see that she’s sporting a very nontraditional French manicure: White on bottom and Navy on the tips.

As part of YSL’s Holiday Bow Collection, two new shades of the brand’s La Laque polishes-Deep Blue and Moonlight White- will be rolling out to stores any day now and the new colors are meant to be worn together.

I’m all for having fun and experimenting with color on my nails, but this might be a little too edgy for even me. If anyone does feel up for trying, send me a picture…I’m curious to see how it looks in real life and not in a glossy ad!

7:18am: Line to get into H&M on 34th and Broadway